After The Storm

Original Watercolor 15" x 22"

by Bill Hudson

With Custom Frame.................SOLD

This is one of many spectacular views from the sandstone cliffs at Shore Acres State Park, near Coos Bay, Oregon.

Artificial Intelligence.....Be Aware

by Bill Hudson

Every Sunday evening Ellie and I watch 60 Minutes on TV. This past Sunday's show marked the second time they did a piece on artificial intelligence, or AI. My mind is still racing to comprehend the immediate and future impact of this technology on mankind.

All human knowledge is now online. With that knowledge, “machines now teach themselves superhuman skills 100,000 times faster than the human brain.” One expert estimates that 2/3 of all jobs will be re-defined. Is this good or bad? We don’t know yet. But we’re going to find out.

To help relieve some of our anxiety, 60 Minutes presented a positive example. Proteins are “the building blocks of life.” There are more than 200 million proteins. To generate a 3D map of a single protein requires 5 man-years of a qualified PhD, or one billion man-years to map them all. AI did it in a few seconds per protein! That information can now be used to rapidly develop vaccinations, plastic-eating enzymes, etc.

Many AI tools are available online, for free, with diverse and incredible capabilities such as writing (sentences, stories, verse, music, screenplays, news, fake news, etc), computer science, image generation/recognition/processing, robot/machine control, language translation, games, research, and on and on.

With the help of my engineering nephew, I signed up to ChatPDT (perhaps the most well-known application made available in January 2023) and was blown away in a few minutes.

Once logged on, I wanted to see what help it might provide for writing this newsletter. So, I requested a description of my most recent painting shown above. I typed in the following: "write a paragraph about waves crashing into rocks"

In 2 seconds, I received the following:

“The relentless power of the ocean is unveiled as waves crash ferociously into the unyielding rocks. With each surge, the water rushes forward, rising to great heights before plummeting with a thunderous roar. The rocks stand defiant, weathered by the relentless assault of nature, bearing witness to countless tides and storms. The collision of water and stone creates a spectacle of raw energy and beauty, as foamy white crests explode upon impact, spraying the air with a mist of salty freshness. The rhythmic dance between the waves and the rocks is a timeless symphony, a reminder of nature's enduring strength and the ever-changing dynamics of our world.”

My immediate reaction was, “I could never write anything this poetic. Why wasn’t this available when I was a kid flunking English, needing a book report?” I asked two of my daughters, who are both grade school teachers, if this was a problem at their school. Their answer is, “The kids are all figuring it out. Now they’re developing software for teachers to detect AI generated papers.”

Every day recently we hear something about Hollywood’s striking screenwriters and their opposition to AI. To better appreciate the problems of the Writers Guild of America, WGA, I asked ChatPDT, “Write a 2-page screenplay about 2 kids dropping goldfish into a fish bowl.” Within 2 seconds, my screenplay was compelling and complete, ready to print!

As an artist, I was also interested in AI image generation capabilities. With my nephew’s help, I signed up to the DALL-E website. Unfortunately, this service is not completely free. I deposited $15 for the service which charges approximately 2ȼ per image generated. For reference, I requested an “original watercolor, realism, waves crashing against rocks.” After 8 seconds, I received 4 images. I didn’t like any of them. But, like all art, I’m sure someone else would.

Summary

ChatGPT, the most popular AI website, was introduced only six months ago. AI is new to most of us, and we are all becoming aware of its immediate impact. The WGA strike is a wake-up call.

I’m an old fart who witnessed the universal influence of TV, computers, the internet, and cell phones. But with all those advances, we retained our individual identities and unique creative abilities. I’m now concerned about our value and future dependence on AI to do the work.